Queens College, in partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation, held a press conference on Thursday, February 5, to announce a scholarship honoring former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman (1926–2020). The scholarship will support undergraduate and graduate students in the college’s Urban Studies Department through cost of education awards and internships. (L. to r.): Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation President Marian Conway; Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas Grech; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr; Shulman’s daughter, U.S. Astronaut Emerita Ellen Baker; Queens College President Frank H. Wu; Queens College Urban Studies Department Chair Melissa Checker; Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board Member Eileen Auld; and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Shulman was a trailblazer who served as Queens Borough President from 1986 to 2002. She was the first woman to hold the office and one of the longest-serving borough presidents in New York City history, winning four elections. A trained registered nurse and longtime community advocate, Shulman rose through local civic leadership to guide Queens during a period of significant growth and change. She ensured the progress of the Queens Museum of Art, the New York Hall of Science, Queens Theatre in the Park, and the Museum of the Moving Image. Shulman played a major role in securing funding for 35,000 additional school seats and the completion of the Queens Hospital Center (now NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens)—the largest health care provider in the borough, serving 400,000 patients annually. Her legacy is honored through landmarks such as One Claire Shulman Way at Queens Borough Hall and the Claire Shulman Pavilion at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, reflecting her enduring impact on the borough.